I wanted to sell my 2002 Giant NRS1 because I could use the $$$ right now and I wasn't using it hardly at all. I'm a roadie mostly and spend most of my riding on asphalt. The Giant wasn't very clean and needed some love - the guy who had it before me is a friend and strong rider. He definitely put it through its paces. I only paid $300 when I bought it from him (he really just gave it to me) so I figured I'd ask $600 for it. I had a a guy show up that had this bike in the pics below with him. We got to talking and he basically offered me about $400 for the bike + a trade for his GT LTS Team. At first I was reluctant, but then thought it might be nice to still have a MTB around in case someone wanted to go do a little trail riding. I guess I purchased this bike for about $200 after all was said and done. I didn't know anything about it but figured for the price I couldn't go wrong (XT and LX components) and so I took a chance on it. I'm a newb to MTB riding and really am not ready for the super technical stuff anyway, so the riding I do is pretty light. The fork seems a little soft. Rear shock feels pretty solid though. Seemed fairly clean overall? Here's some pics.

Don't see a bad component on the bike. In it's day, that was probably a $1,500 bike.

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"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, "WOW, What a Ride!" - unknown
"Your Bike Sucks" - Sky Yaeger

thanks - rode it tonight with my limited MTB capabilities. Bad news is a creak in the bb under really hard cranking. Impressed with the Panaracer tires. REALLY grippy - refused to slide out and bit into the dirt extremely well. I thought I was going to go over to the left at one point. I was leaning that way - the tires just refused to give way in that direction. I regained my balance because they didn't give. I might remove the cranks and bb, clean and lube and tighten them back down to see if it does anything for the bb creak. What do I want from such an old bike, right? Good news - man, this thing handles well. I wish I still had the Giant to ride them side by side an compare to make sure, but the GT almost feels better. Though my experience is really limited, it felt more "buttery" over ruts, rocks, and roots. It absorbed the rough terrain really well for a bike this age. Again, I don't ride MTB much - the only other bike I have to compare it to is the Giant, but considering its age it does really well by comparison. Front brake is grabby - gotta watch that though. Front wheel is a bit out of true also. Bike is well dialed in though - shifts are very accurate. Feels like it was tuned up well.... Anyway, everyone likes to brag on their new (to them) stuff so I guess this all has to be taken with a grain of salt.

Took it to a friend tonight who's an ex pro. He rolled his eyes at it and didn't have a lot good to say, but he said either it wasn't ridden much or it was well taken care of. The rear triangle is really tight according to him.

Those things rock! The LTS DH frame (pretty much different forks) was what I would call one of the first truly capable DH bike that people would actually want. They did the rounds in Australia when they were new, however they had a tendancy to crack when ridden for DH. However as a trail bike they ar great. I'd want that bike just for the fact I love those frames!